Hello! My family will be relocating to Tokyo in July 2001. I am trying to get information about the international schools in the area. I have checked out websites, but I would like to speak to anyone with children in ASIJ, NIS or TIS. I have three girls ages 9,7 and 4. All of the girls have been in montessori schools since age 3. I am concerned about their transitions to a more traditional school environment. If anyone has any info or contacts please contact me.
Thanks Karyn (robsonjv@erols.com)

Dear Karyn,

Given the Montessori background, it occurred to me that you ought to check out NewIS (New International School). Steven Parr worked for JIS for 19 years and is starting the NewIS, close to Ikebukuro, this September 2001, with a bi-lingual program and multi-age classes, an excellent option for a bilingual program. (The only other comprehensive one is at Nishimachi school in Hiroo which is extremely hard to get in to and the most expensive of the private international schools). The website and the email address are listed on the following page of this site:

http://www.tokyowithkids.com/fyi/international_schools.html

hi! we will be transfering to tokyo in august and are presently trying to decide on a school for our 15 year old son. he has attended 9th grade in an international co-ed school with a sizeable IB program in singapore. surfing the web i have not found any equivalent school in tokyo. is there someone who can give some advice? very grateful for any information. thanks! Linda Olsson

Linda,
For a 10th grade boy, I think you have a choice between ASIJ and St. Mary's. Info on both via the link in Cornelia's message above.
I don't think either one offers the IB, but do check directly.
Scott

Yokohama International School does offer the IB program. You might check out living in Yokohama--it is an easy commute to most parts of Tokyo, and the foreign community is very friendly.

We are moving to Tokyo in the next 6 weeks and will visit in 10 days to interview with ASIJ, K Int'l and Aoba Japan Int'l schools. We have two boys ages 5 and 7 (kindergarten and grade 2). We've met with the people from ASIJ and since they want the kids to come for screening, thought we'd look into a few schools as a contingency. Does anyone have any experience with any of these 3 schools?

Hi,

I have an offer of employment in Miyazaki, Southern Japan. Can anyone please email any information that may be of interest.

In particular, I am after information on any international schools that maybe in the area that cater to primary/elementary school students ( english speaking ).

Any information or contacts would be greatly appreciated.

email: roblindsay@bigpond.com

If any of you know anything about the Aoba-Japan International School and/or the American School in Japan (Chofu), I would appreciate any input you might be able to offer. My wife and I are considering schools for our two children (ages 7 and 10; neither speak much Japanese, although my wife is Japanese), and we would love to hear any thoughts, suggestions, etc. from someone who may have some insight about either (or both) of these schools.
Thanks.
G. Tad Lindsey
(e-mail: tlindsey@qwest.net)

1) We are moving to Tokyo on a 2 year assignment. Considering Seisen for my daughter (Age 12, just passing year 7 in British system) and British school for my son (Age 4, just starting school). Both are abso fluent in English. Any alternative school ideas please for my daughter or son ?

2) We are planning to stay in Shibuya-ku..but can someone recommend some good expat areas but close to British school. BST does not have a school bus, Seisen does. Again any alternative areas but do-able by train...(non-peak).

Thank you, dmnayel[at]bechtel.com

NAGOYA Hi! we will be moving to Nagoya next year and I am concerned about schooling for my daughter aged 7. Does anyone know anything about the International School in Nagoya or any Japanese schools in Nagoya with a Japanese as a Second Language program? My daughter has no Japanese speaking ability and I have had no success in searching for info on Nagoya on the net
Thank you

We might be moving from Hong Kong to Tokyo next summer. We are french, and our 2 older children (4 and 6) are studying in the french international school where they are learning english as well. We would like they could continue to learn english, and we are wondering what would be the best for them: go to the french international school of Tokyo, or go to an International school that could accept not fluent in english children and work the french at home. In september they will attend the 1 and 3 grade. Does anyone can give us some information and advices about the french school and a good international school? thanks
Chrystele

Hello there Chrystele,
The best school for girls that I know is Seisen IS. We just got back to the USA from Tokyo a week ago. My daughter was very happy at that school and so was I.The school has a good school bus service and very conviniently located school bus stops. Excellent teachers and programs.As a matter of fact Seisen just had a fund raising Parisian theme Dinner and Dance the night before we left Tokyo. It was a great Party that we missed. How ever if your children are boys my recommendation is St. Maur IS or Yokohama IS in Yokohama which is not a bad commute from most of the Tokyo areas. Beware some schools will take none English speaking children but most of the time parents do have a difficultly communicating with the school staff/teachers. I am not very much particular with the French school but do research and visit the schools, as many schools as possible, before you make any decisions. It helps to be able to communicate with the people that your children are around with. Life in Japan is not at all easy in the first 6 months to 1 year or so. Do take care and good luck.

Hi Chrystele
I'm French too, but my son is only 2 years old, so he's not going to the French school yet, but to a pre-school related to it. I don't know much about the French school itself, but have several friends who send their kids there, so I could ask if you have specific questions. What I do know is that the school is currently located in Fujimi, near Iidabashi station, but is going to relocate in Taito-ku in the near future, so that might be important for you when you look for a place to live.
Don't hesitate to contact me if you have specific questions.

HJIS Introduction and Summer School Program

Horizon Japan International School (HJIS) is a new elementary school (K-6) that opened its doors in April 2003. We are one of three international schools in Yokohama city, which have been accredited by the Kanagawa Prefectual Government and have numerous affiliates throughout the world. Our team of educators and consultants has been gathered from around the globe and have all played an integral role in developing our international curriculum. With an affordable fee structure, HJIS will best match the expectations of the foreign community who are planning to reside long term in Japan. The school is also open to Japanese families who want to send their children to international schools. Come and see what we have to offer. For further information regarding the programs offered at HJIS do not hesitate to contact us at:
Horizon Japan International School (HJIS)
1-33-6 Higashi Terao, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0077 Japan
Tel: 045-584-1945
Fax: 045-584-1946
e-mail: info@horizon.ac.jp
URL: www.horizon.ac.jp

HJIS Summer School 2003

The Horizon Japan International School summer English program is designed for students who wish to increase their proficiency is English, reading and conversation. Classes will be activity based and enhance the learning of English.

Term 1: July 21-July 25
Term 2: July 26-July 31 (no school on July 27)

Time:
Gr. K-2 9:00 am-12:00 pm
Gr. 3-6 13:00 pm-16:00 pm

Location: HJIS �E1-33-6 Higashi Terao, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama

Program Fee:
30, 000 yen (per term); 2nd child 27, 000 (per term)
For 2 Terms: 58, 000 yen; 2nd child 55, 000 yen
Application fee: 2, 500 yen

Application Deadline: July 4, 2003

Contact Information:
Tel: 045-584-1942
Fax: 045-584-1946
e-mail: admissions@horizon.ac.jp
URL: www.horizon.ac.jp

Newly open sophia International school In Toshima-ku age /3/15
pre-K9 :school is 5 minutes from Ikebukuro station:It is most convinient area in Tokyo It has 7 train lines so people can come to Ikebukuro from many direction with in (30 minutes)our school is using text book from houghton
mifflin from USA: school have third language programs:
Please visit our web page:
www.sophia-school.com
Tel:03-5958-4907
Fax:03-5958-4905
See you : Kamran S A

Both my husband and myself are Singaporeans and we would like to put our 4 year old boy in K international school next Sept. However we are now staying in Ouji Kita ku so it is better to move to a place where the school bus route runs. Can parents who have kids in K internatinal share with us where would be a nice place to move to which is convenient for marketing and bringing up kids. We are also thinking of Hirou because there is a big foreign community and a primary school *Kougai* in case we want to quit international school in the future. Thanks!

International Secondary School has moved to a new address:
4-17-26 Mita, Minato-ku,
Tokyo 108-0073.
Tel: 03-5730-1331 Fax: 03-5730-1332
The international school list and the resources for special kids page will reflect this shortly.

Horizon Japan International School will have a Visitors Day on Saturday, April 17th, 2004 from 11:00 to 13:00 in the HJIS gymnasium. There will be a brief information session that will include:
- The HJIS Educational Philosophy
- Overview of the HJIS Curriculum
- Introduction of the Faculty
- Overview of Supplemental Programs (After School Programs, PTA, etc.)

If you are interested in attending the Visitors Day, please complete the online reservation form by accessing the school homepage (www.horizon.ac.jp). The application deadline is April 13th.

For any further questions please contact:
Mrs. Aya Ross, Administrative Secretary
Tel: 045-584-1945 Fax: 045-584-1946
Email: info@horizon.ac.jp

Thank you!

We are moving to tokyo in august and our 11 year old son has a place at the british school. however our 8 year old daughter does not have a place and we are looking for alternative options,including other international schools or even home schooling.
any suggestions welcome.

Have you tried Seisen or Sacred Heart? www.seisen.com / www.issh.ac.jp

or perhaps ASIJ. BST only goes up to 8th grade (is my understanding) so when your son graduates BST, he could join your daughter at ASIJ < -- that is what one of my friends did and he comes to ASIJ now.

(sry I'm not a parent... im a student at ASIJ... so my opinion my not be valid)

Dont worry. Siblings get priority.

Dear Julie, Different schools have different policies regarding siblings and, at any rate, if there are no spaces, they probably will not simply create a space for a sibling. You would still have to wait until someone transferred.
Please take a look at the list at http://www.tokyowithkids.com/fyi/international_schools.html to help research further options.

have you considered K. International School?? it is in east tokyo... kind of opposite side of tokyo as compared to the other schools you are talking about. it's webiste is {http://www.kist.ed.jp} and it is a co-ed right fm kindy upto 12th grade and all the sections IBO recognised. my 7 yr old and 4 yr old go there.
hope this helps. trupti:)

I am trying to find some advice on international schools in tokyo Japan.
My daughter and I will soon be relocating from the uk to Japan to be closer to family and her father and I would like her to attend an international school so that she can learn Japanese. my daughter is four years old and will be 4 years 7 months on arrival.

I am completely foreign to the japanese system. i.e the ages children start school.. kindergarten. The kind of costs involved. Does anyone recommend any schools or know of the costs involved. All experiences shared are welcomed. Thanks

Suna sunasezer[at]yahoo.co.uk

Suna-
Could you clarify what you're after, please? You say you are looking for an international school, but that you are "foreign to the japanese system".

"International School" is commonly used to mean schools which are basically outside Japan's Ministry of Education administration or guidance. They are usually run in the native language of their choice - most often English, but there are also others.

Also, you say you are looking for an international school so your daughter can learn Japanese. This is a bit of a contradiction. Although, every international school in Japan offers Japanese, it would not give the full cultural immersion that going to a school under the M of E supervises.

If you are from the UK, it would be natural to look at the British School. It is listed on this site.

The costs for the many international schools are high. Mostly, running from 1,000,000-2,000,000 yen/year regardless of grade level. I don't know the true costs of going to Japanese school, but certainly there is public education which is nearly free.

If you choose the international school route, there is an application process that should be started a year before planning to enter. The English oriented ones I believe all start school year in September, though need to check British school on this point. It's important to apply early because this often more demand than supply - especially at the lower grades.

Many schools have strict policies on determining the entry grade according to the child's birthday. Need to check with each specific school on this.

I understand there can be application procedures with Japanese schools, too. And in those cases, I'm led to believe the "rules" are often a bit fuzzy.

I suggest your first step be to go through many of the links on the list of schools on this site and get a feel for them at that level. Then, start inquiring directly to each one. If you can make a visit to Japan well ahead to visit as many as possible, so much the better

We are moving to Tokyo from the UK in April with our 2 sons aged 2 and 6. We are looking for an international school for the older boy. He was on the list for the British School but unfortunately they don't have a place available, so I have been looking at other schools. It is a company transfer so the company will pay the fees.

All the schools seem very full - the only ones which have a place available in April are Gregg International School, the Canadian International School and the Rivendale Montessori School. Does anyone have any children at/know anything about these schools? We will be visiting Tokyo in March, when we will see the schools but any information would be appreciated.

Barbara, we have the same situation. My family will be moving to Tokyo in April from Shanghai (we originated from HK but was in US before moving to SH 3 years ago). I have two girls (4 and 2). I am desperately searching for an international school for my bigger girl but unfortunately most of the big international schools are full. We are also on the waiting list of British School but chance is slim. I did school visits at end January and also saw the Rivendale school you mentioned. My personal opinion is this is not the school I want my girl in. The school is in the 3rd floor of a commerical building with only 2 classrooms. There are no facilities at all. The teacher told me that they wouldn't have outdoor play at all as they don't have their own outdoor playground and they don't want to take risk to bring the kids outside (!). They gave me a very commercial impression. The place also didn't look clean. Well, you can have a look when you are there in March. I didn't go to Gregg as it's not the ward we are planning to live in (I think it's in Meguro-ku). However, if I finally can't find a school for my girl, I will also consider Gregg. So, please tell me how it is after you visit the school in March. We are trying to find an apartment in Minato-ku around Roppongi, Azabu and Hiroo areas where most expatriate families are living in. Anyway, good luck to us !

Wendy

Wendy,
Have you looked at my post above? There is an international school in koto-ku, K. International School. It is as I mentioned above a co-ed and from K1 to grade 12. Maybe they have some seats yet. Their site address is http://www.kist.ed.jp/ You might find the admission info on their site or call them and find out. This is the only school in tokyo so far to have IBO certification for all their grade levels. I have my 8 yrs old and 5 yrs old going there since last year, and I am very happy with the teachers.

I recently heard that some expats are turning down postings in Japan because of the shortage of available spaces at the international schools in Tokyo. Why not consider Yokohama International School? http://www.yis.ac.jp/The commute to Tokyo from Yokohama is very manageable and many of us who have chosen to live in Yokohama but work in Tokyo have never regretted this choice.

P.S. And also the Yokohama Country Club is a venerable old institution, a competitor of the Tokyo American Club from what I've heard.

K. International is kind of far from the English speaking expat crowd around Hiroo (I've heard good thing about them, especially their library is supposed to be phenomenal), but New International School in Ikebukuro has a bus operating from that area, and is actually quite accessible located just inside the Yamanote train line (a loop line) at Ikebukuro. I understand that the Teddy Bear (kindergarten) class is really hard to get into but it's worth asking. I think 6 year olds might be a bit easier. They are only 6? years old, but they have received accredidation, have a very serious (and ambitious curriculum) embracing multi-age classes and a dual language curriculum, guaranteed to get your kids' brains hopping!
Tokyo International School is also a very serious school, and will seem a lot like America, with it's student body composed of many nationalities.

For the four year old, there are some smaller schools that are quite serious schools in spite of their small size. Barbara and Wendy, you might want to look at the list of international schools on this web site (the link is at the top of this discussion page).
School specific discussions:
New International School
Tokyo International School
K. International School

Also, the ward address is not necessarily the thing to go by. It really depends on where you live in the ward. You may be closer to a school in the next ward, than to a school in the same ward.
And finally there is another bunch of expats in and around Iidabashi and Ichigaya (many French for example because this is where the French International Elementary School is but also quite a few Americans), more French around Edogawabashi and Myogadani, almost all the Germans (with kids) are in Yokohama, Chinese are everywhere, Koreans are everywhere... Finally there are a bunch of Americans near the American School in sort of the Fuchu/Chofu circle, Honda workers tend to find places sort of between Omiya and Ikebukuro (depending on which section of Honda they are working in), etc.

Finally, if you locate near a US Military base, base schools will take other non-military expat children on a space available basis year by year. Some of the base schools are really excellent. This can sometimes be a temporary solution until a permanent spot is found at the school of your original choice. Some have even ended up staying at the base school because it turned out quite well. Unfortunately, sometimes, a student has had to leave to make room for incoming kids from military families.

St. Mary's is a very solid school (for boys only after Kindergarten). There are a lot of options, actually, if money is not an issue.

Pato, you haven't heard correctly. They are not competitors at all, in fact, they have very different facilities. Yokohama Country and Athletic Club http://www.ycac.or.jp is family oriented and in addition to a large outdoor playground, offers many outdoor sports. This Spring there are plans to install artificial turf. As this discussion is about schools, it is worth noting that Yokohama International School (YIS), in addition to having its own gym, uses the outdoor field at YCAC for its PE and Sports programs.

just an addition here...

k. international school has buses operating from tokyo station as well as hiroo station... for pick up and drop... more info can be accessed from their website in transport information link...

I'm moving the last three messages over to the pre-school/kindergarten section of "international school", since Wendy's kids are in that age group. It's at: http://www.tokyowithkids.com/discussions/messages/151/121.html

Thanks for all the feedback. I have contacted K International and New International and these both have a place for my son - I hadn't considered them before because they're further out, but maybe this can be managed.

We'll be visiting Tokyo in a couple of weeks to see the schools and hopefully make a choice. I'm a little concerned about their admission procedures/tests - is it possible that my son could fail to be admitted? The schools generally don't give the results for about a week, by which time we'll be back in the UK. My son is a normal, bright child with no problems.

If you are looking for an International School with spacious schoolyard and sunny classrooms, you and your children are welcome to visit Gregg International School in Jiyugaoka. Jiyugaoa is on Toyoko Line and is easily accessible from Hiroo,Ebisu, Shinagawa,Shibuya and Yokohama/Kawasaki area by train.
Also we have car-drop off system for busy parents.
School tour is available by appointment during the week as well as on Saturdays.
I recommend you to visit our school in the morning.
Please call 03-3725-8000 for more information and visit our home page
www.gis-j.com

This may seem like a silly question, but I'm wondering where most international school students go to school after grade 9. I have been checking the list of international schools and it seems that a lot stop at grade 9. But as my children will most probably do all of their schooling in Tokyo, I need to consider educational options up to grade 12. Do the students simply transfer to the Japanese system?

Thank you!

I am a certified teacher in Florida in the United States. I am certifed to teach elementary K-6, and most middle school grade subjects to grade 8.. I am interested in teaching overseas in international schools in Japan. I tried to locate schools who are looking for teachers, but I can't seem to locate anything on the internet. I noticed that many people here have "lists" on international elementary, and middle schools. Could someone please forward those websites to me or at least the names. I would really appreciate it. My email is : StarfoxPro@aol.com